I’m going to try taking notes on this debate, or at least parts of this debate. At the end, I’ll upload my notes for your pleasure. For the record, I’m watching CNN’s coverage. (I’m not sure why, CNN has become so biased lately I might as well watch MSNBC.)

8:46 PM: I remember why I watch CNN – Campbell Brown is hot. She’s misguided, feminist and like most CNN anchors, biased, but still hot.

8:47 PM: The format is kind of weird this time: two minutes for each candidate to answer, and then five minutes as kind of a back-and-forth. CNN people are fretting (and I agree) that this favors McCain.

8:49 PM: Poor John King – they only let him talk about numbers. Indians are now down 3-2, by the way.

8:57 PM: Ted Kennedy had a seizure, went to and got out of the hospital on the same day? That’s kind of bizarre, especially for someone his age. Jim Lehrer has taken the stage.

8:59 PM: Who’s this Michael Ware guy, and how long has he been living under a rock?

9:00 PM: THEY’RE LATE!

9:00 PM: Anyone want to play a drinking game? You have to drink every time Barack Obama says “change”. And make sure its not alcohol, you might be dead by the end of the debate.

9:01 PM: Oh come on, CNN. Please don’t show that ridiculous bar at the bottom. We’re very impressed with your technology. We promise. Just don’t shove it in our face.

9:02 PM: Do they seriously use a coin?

9:03 PM: It’s GO TIME!

9:04 PM: One minute in, and the first cliche is in: Wall St./Main St.

9:05 PM: Bush proposed a regulatory overhaul in 2003. No one seems to remember this.

9:07 PM: The Wall St./Main St. phrase rears its ugly head again.

9:07 PM: Hehe. Package.

9:08 PM: Neither of them really answered the question, and McCain ended on oil. THE BAILOUT IS A BAD IDEA!

9:09 PM: ANSWER THE QUESTION! DON’T ASK YOURSELF ANOTHER ONE!

9:10 PM: That’s an interesting parallel – I never knew Eisenhower wrote two letters. And that was for a situation that he couldn’t be blamed for as easily.

9:11 PM: This feels a little contrived.

9:14 PM: These guys are basically blaming each other but saying the same thing, and the little Democratic bar goes up when Obama speaks and the Republican bar goes up when McCain speaks. Is anyone even listening to the other guy?

9:15 PM: McCain is throwing the Republicans under the bus and I’m okay with it.

9:19 PM: Early on, it seems like Obama is playing it somewhat cautious. McCain is going for the throat. Whoa, wait a minute, Obama just interrupted him.

9:19 PM: Why can no one get facts correct? Why can no one agree on FACTS?

9:20 PM: This format’s hysterical. The candidates can’t figure out who to look at. Lehrer’s trying to make them fight it out face to face.

9:21 PM: McCain just highlighted the difference between his and Obama’s tax policy: Obama fights for the everyman, McCain fights for the people who might not make the most money, but work hard (the small businessman).

9:22 PM: If only Hillary had won, this debate would have gotten interesting much faster.

9:44 PM: I remember in 2006 when Petraeus was getting roasted by the Democrats… oh how times have changed. No one said it would be quick and easy!

9:49 PM: This is a pretty heated exchange.

9:50 PM: Everyone opposed a surge in Iraq because it would put more troops in danger. But everyone seems to support a similar surge in Afghanistan.

9:53 PM: Pakistan? Are you kidding me?

9:55 PM: Petraeus = hero unit?

10:00 PM: Yay, bracelet comparison!

10:02 PM: McCain is getting a bit more animated.

10:03 PM: Ooo, Iran. Here we go.

10:04 PM: It’s amazing how little we’ve talked about China and Russia so far, considering their issues this summer. Also North Korea.

10:06 PM: Hehe. “Iran”-ically.

10:06 PM: That’s a word I didn’t expect to hear tonight. Can you guess what it is?

10:08 PM: McCain just butchered Mr. Iran’s name (what, you think I can spell it?)

10:09 PM: McCain’s tone here is almost incredulous, it’ll be interesting to see what the reaction is to that.

10:13 PM: “I don’t even have a seal yet.” BAM!

And there you have it. I kind of quit taking notes as the discussion got more heated near the end. Overall, I feel like it was really too close for the media to admit John McCain won, but there were some spots where Obama was definitely ahead. We’ll see how it plays out. Now I’m looking forward to Sarah Palin vs. Joe Biden in round 1.5.